Angolan president calls for ceasefire in Sudan

Luanda, Angola | Xinhua | Angola’s President Joao Lourenco has advocated for a ceasefire in Sudan during a conversation with the Sudanese army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan over the phone, according to a statement posted on the Facebook page of the Angolan Presidency Friday.

President Lourenco spoke on the phone with al-Burhan to address the situation in Sudan and encouraged the conflicting parties to move toward a ceasefire, emphasizing that dialogue is the only way to resolve conflicts, according to the statement.

The Angolan president also expressed Angola’s solidarity with the Sudanese people and lamented the consequences of the conflict, which has resulted in the loss of human lives, extensive infrastructure destruction, and the displacement of thousands of internally displaced persons and refugees, as per the statement.

During the phone call, the Angolan leader praised the initiative of South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir Mayardit, aimed at facilitating dialogue between Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Mohamed Hamdani Dagalo, the head of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Fighting between the Sudanese army and the RSF erupted on April 15, with the two sides accusing each other of initiating the conflict.

So far, the conflict has left more than 550 people dead and 4,926 others wounded in Sudan, while thousands of Sudanese citizens have been displaced or forced to seek refuge in safe areas or neighboring countries, including Egypt, Ethiopia and Chad.